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I'm sure I've told the story about how when the younger of my two sons was 16 things became pretty tense in the house for a year or so. During that time, just about the only line of communication for us was supplied by a shared love of music. I had introduced him to Butch Hancock when he was five years old, so he has always had an appreciation for a beautifully well-written song. That year, he returned the favor, introducing me to punk rock music, by way of NOFX's classic Punk in Drublic, a CD that was once rated "best in genre" at the now defunct CDNOW. As children do, he grew up, moved out of the house, and moved on, musically. But he left me with an abiding love of punk rock music. Fortunately for me, I stored away all of my rage for middle age. So, I always look forward with great anticipation to the days when I can put down all of the jazz, new age, acoustic, and classical holiday offerings and pick up something as sweetly disdainful as The Jingle Punx new CD, It's What I Got in My Sack.

Oi! The Punx do not disappoint. Right away, they kicked in the front door, so to speak, with Joy To The World, whose angry vocals, distorted bass, driving beat, and 120 tempo washed over me like the smell of napalm early in the morning. Like cops breaking up a riot with a fire hose, they knocked me off my feet and did not let me get back up until at least midway through, with a relative change of pace from guest vocalist Ana Gadget on Santa Baby.

Otherwise, the Punx deliver nothing but punk rock, punk rock, and more punk rock. Sometimes, a CD advertises itself as punk but delivers emo (which isn't a bad thing), or alternative (which is). But not the Jingle Punx. Informed by the likes of Rancid and NOFX, these guys play the genre as it was meant to be played, and sing their lyrics with the sort of disdain I reserve for people who listen to the BS and half-truths of hypocritical, pandering red state politicians. Whoa! Don't let me start down that road. See what they do? They bring to the surface all of my righteous rage. It is an ugly, beautiful thing, my rage.

In addition to some built-in irony with such punked out gems as Baby It's Cold Outside (my favorite track on the disc, and featuring a second vocal cameo by Ana Gadget), the title cut It's What I Got In My Sack is a nice original holiday creation by Doug. They also perform a Chanukah song (Chunaka) as well as closing with a worthy homage to Run D.M.C.'s Christmas In Hollis, proving that rappers and punk rockers can enjoy the holiday season together in harmony.

I loved this one from start to finish. At 28 minutes, my love affair did not last for long, but remember what I said about tempo. At 120, these songs go by in a hurry! So, if you're young and alienated, or if you're just ready to howl, you could do a lot worse than to pick up a copy of The Jingle Punx' It's What I Got in My Sack.

--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2006)

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From the liner notes:

The Jingle Punx are:
D.K.: Guitar, Exploding amp
Rico: Bass, Guitar, Well lit ENGL head
Doug: Guitar, Vox, BG Vox, Budda
Eric: Vox, Guitar, BG Vox, Endless outtakes
Steve: Drums, BG Vox, Drummer faces

Recorded By: Jingle Punx, Josh Gold, Jeff Parsons
Second Engineering: Joe Lindsay
Mixing and Mastering: Steve

Featured Artists:
Ana Gadget (Santa Baby, Baby It's Cold Outside)
Sinestro Enigma (Christmas In Hollis)
Wart St. (Christmas In Hollis)
Benito Cortez

Santa Impersonator: Pave, thanks for climbing into a dumpster
Photography: Steve, Pave, Doug
Cover Art: Doug
Additional equipment furnished by: Bill Rudolph, Josh Gold (thanks!!)

You can purchase our other music at: iTunes, Emusic, MSN, Rhapsody, Napster, and several other sites. Who would pay good money for this rubbish?

The Jingle Punx

It's What I Got in My Sack

Artist site

Track List